Abandoned property

In California, there are some underwater telephone cables that were laid by pac bell sometime in the 50's. No one has shown any interest at all in them for at least 25yrs. I'm applying for a permit to recover them. All is good until I need to show they are legally abandoned and nobody has any interest in them. They have been vandalized and are clearly useless except for the salvage value. Question? do abandoned utilities belong to the state? If so, do abandoment laws apply to state property? They are at the bottom of a navigable waterway so why cant anyone recover them

Cables are under the san joaquin river. No owner

The underwater cables are at the bottom of The Carquinez Straits . Actually its where san joaquin river flows into san pablo bay than into S.F. bay The river also seperates two different counties and cities. Who has control over them. ?

I agree to talk with the owner. If there truly is no owner which is discoverable and the property is "abandoned" it escheats to the state. Someone owns the cable and I also think Pac Bell is the place to start.

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